Well hello there. It’s been a while. This past year+ my life took a bit of a detour. To say life has been a whirlwind sounds so cliche but that really is the best description I can come up. I feel like my brain needs to hit the defragment button to put everything back where it belongs in my psyche. I have much to share about what has transpired and much to share about future plans but right now I am popping in to say, “hello”. I’m still alive. Life is good. My 4 men are wonderful and my rocks. I’m returning to my roots and I’m excited about that. My house looks like a tornado came screaming through and I’m ready to clean it up. Start fresh. Work on projects again. Redecorate. I’m in the process of getting a few things off my plate and I’ll be back in full effect. Until then I’ve got a few things to move out to make room for new pieces.

First up, we are selling our beloved dining table. It’s been good to us but you know me…change is good. I can’t wait to move in the new / old (aka vintage) table I’ve had stashed for years but first, this beauty has to go. Dimensions on this farmhouse table: 84x40x31. This is the real deal farmhouse table, not a big box store reproduction.

I have it listed on Chairish but if you’re local here in Utah I’ll give you a deal. Send me an email.

I’m also selling this amazing vintage mail sorter.

What makes this baby unique is that it still has the rope weights behind. And that vintage shade of teal…it gives me goosebumps. Listed for $595. on Chairish. Here is an identical one listed for $1500. Insert gasp faced emoji.

Next, I recently acquired this Mid Century gem. It’s a coffee table / bench designed by Merton L. Gershun for American of Martinsville. Cushions are removable. Also listed on Chairish.

Then there is this juror / library chair. These go for up to $200. online. Selling mine for $65. Email me if interested smhinckley(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Over and out for now. If you are interested in any other items I have for sale follow me on my Instagram feed where I list all my items 41supplyco.
I’ll be back shortly with some more updates and exciting projects.

My men and I have been blessed to go on some fabulous vacations. However, of all the trips we have ever taken as a family, an RV road trip has been the most fun and memorable out of all of them.
NO LIE!
You may remember we did an RV trip two years ago with Access RV Rentals here in Salt Lake City, UT. Before that trip I was not looking forward to it. The high-maintenance side of me had a pre-judgement that RV-ing was the complete opposite of luxury. I couldn’t fathom sitting on an bumpy RV for a week listening to my kids bicker with each other and complain “are we there yet”? To my surprise, they (and I) loved it.

When the opportunity arose to do another Access RV Trip there was no question the answer was “ABSOLUTELY”. We picked up the RV in Indiana and started our way back to Salt Lake City, UT in a week’s time.

What is great about RV’ing is you can cover a lot of sites in a short amount of time. Plus, kids have much more space to stretch out unlike sitting in a car for a week.

I cannot describe how valuable a week on an RV is for a family.
It’s fun to brag about all the places we went on our trip but Henry David Thoreau said, “It’s not what you look at that matters, It’s what you see.”

Seeing pictures in a text book is one thing. Seeing those places first hand is priceless.

Have you ever had your children attend a different religious services other than their own? That one experience alone made a huge impression these three.

These men also learned about the great leaders of our country and what they contributed to society.

The beauty of being on an RV is that all the distractions at home are eliminated and you’re forced to spend time together…like it or not.
Let’s just say, we never knew 10 rounds of UNO could be so comical.

You never realize how big the world is until you leave home.

Having been on 2 RV trips now I can say it’s definitely you should put on your bucket list. These boys still talk about our RV trip from 2 years ago and I know they’ll talk about this last trip for years to come.

When my husband and I purchased our first home we were young and had very little money to furnish an empty house. I would drool over glossy retail catalogs and calculate how long I’d have to save up for everything I loved. Once I finally got the furniture and decor of my dreams I noticed that my friends neighbors had the same or a version of the same things. Wanting a more unique palette I looked for other ways to find distinct items that didn’t look like everyone else’s homes. That’s when I discovered thrifting. When I say “thrifting” I’m including thrift stores, second-hand shops, yard sales, Craigslist and estate sales under that umbrella word. It’s not only a great way to find unique and less trendy items but it also didn’t break my budget.

This past week I shared my tips and tricks on the art of thrifting on the Studio 5 show. If you’ve ever been to a thrift store, it can be daunting. It really is a store full of cast-off’s and can feel kind of junky. But remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. There are great things to be found if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and exercise a little patience.

TIP 1, Visit often.

Sometimes I come out with a whole cart of cool finds other times I find nothing. You never know when someone is going to donate something awesome so you have to keep checking back. You don’t need to make a special trip, just know where your nearest thrift store is when you are out running errands. I have to drive my kiddos across town for basketball practice at least twice a week. While they are at practice I’ll ask Siri where the nearest thrift stores are and I make a date of it. Regular pop-ins will pay off. Same goes for Craigslist or other selling apps. Check often.

TIP 2, Prepare to dig.

Leave your evening gown home and roll up sleeves. Some of my most valuable treasures have been covered with dust and dirt. Sometimes I’ll see a novice thrifter come in and just do a look over. You’ve got to sift through pictures, dusty books and trinkets to find the goods. They are there, you just need to do the work.

TIP 3, Be nice and make friends.

I’ll be honest, thrifting isn’t always the best experience. We have what I call “thrifting vultures” at a few of our local thrift stores here in Salt Lake. They hang at the stores for hours a day just waiting for the cart full of the latest donations to roll out. Elbows are flailing, sometimes they’ll even run to the next cart. It’s like a Black Friday experience. It’s easy to get cross and offended but it never serves me. Be courteous and make friends. The regulars will start to grab things they think you might like and vice versa. Having said that, make friends with the employees and shop owners. If you’re lucky they might cut you deal and alert you when cool things come to the store.

TIP 4, Bring a donation or gift.

Many thrift stores will give you a coupon when you bring a donation (Goodwill and Savers). I hoard those 30% off coupons like they’re gold. There’s also a school that regularly sells items that I frequent. I’ve made friends with the woman who runs the operation and even bring her pink Swig Sugar cookies when I visit. She is sweetheart and has started letting me know when cool things come to the warehouse. A little gift will pay off big.

TIP 5, Subscribe to email lists and yard sale apps.

I love thrifting but estate sales are my fave. You get to see a whole house full of treasures. Plus you get a sense of the story behind the item and it feels a little more classy then the thrift store. To find out about estates sales in your area google, “estate sales” then your city. Once you get on the mailing list you’ll get alerts when the next sale is. (By the way, estate sale companies aren’t usually negotiable on price the first day. On the last day they will usually discount everything 50% off to clear out the house). There are also apps that are great. I love the Yard Sale Treasure Map app which will let you know where they next yard sales are as well as give you directions to each house.

For me, finding treasures second hand is an adrenaline rush. I love the thrill of the hunt. But I also realize it’s a bit of work. Of course I have to plug my shop The Old Flamingo where 12 of us pickers have filled an entire store with amazing unique finds for screaming deals so you don’t have to. We update our Instagram several times a day with our latest scores. But if treasure hunting is your thing, utilize these tips and you’ll go far!